Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the exterior lighting › brake lights. It has been recalled 3 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Vehicle Speed Control
1
0
0
0
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling
1
0
0
0
3 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights05V505000
Filed Nov 1, 200569,278 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.
Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, FAILURE OF ONE OF THE SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS CAN OCCUR. THE BASE OF THE SOCKET CAN BE SUBJECT TO THERMAL DEFORMATION OVER TIME.
Risk. THIS DEFORMATION CAN CAUSE MOVEMENT IN THE SOCKET-TO-BULB CONNECTION, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE SOCKET, AND FAILURE OF THE BULB TO ILLUMINATE.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR LAMP MODULES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2006, TO APPROXIMATELY 8,200 OWNERS. PHASE II MAILING IS SCHEDULE ON OR ABOUT NOVEMBER 3, 2006, AND PHASE III MAILING IS SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY 2007 FOR THE REMAINING OWNERS. OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH THE UPDATED TRIM (POST-FACE LIFT) WILL GET AN INTERIM NOTICE DURING NOVEMBER 2006, ASKING THEM TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR REAR TAIL LAMP REPLACEMENT LATER IN 2007. HOWEVER, IF THEY EXPERIENCE AN ACTUAL REAR LAMP FAILURE BEFORE THEY RECEIVE THAT NOTICE, THEY SHOULD COME TO THEIR DEALER IMMEDIATELY FOR A FREE REPAIR. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
Exterior Lighting › Headlights02V152000
Filed Jun 13, 200227,863 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.
Defect. CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT CONTAIN THE PROPER HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS.
Risk. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy. OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS, AND DIRECTIONS FOR AFFIXING THESE INSERTS TO THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 15, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE INSTRUCTIONS WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-201-573-0117.
Air Bags › Side/Window01I005000
Filed Apr 15, 20012,038 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.
Defect. THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 2000 SLK AND E-CLASS VEHICLES. SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LEFT PARKED IN HIGH TEMPERATURES DURING WARMER MONTHS.
Remedy. MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SIDE AIR BAG FREE OF CHARGE. MERCEDES-BENZ HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT A SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE SIDE AIR BAG. OWNERS CAN CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372, CONCERNING THIS PROGRAM.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Jun 11, 201471,750 milesCA
CAR STALLS. UNABLE TO RESTART UNTIL AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ON 03/03/14 BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP WHO REPLACED ENGINE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FOR $842.04.. PROBLEM PERSISTED AND CAR KEPT STALLING IN TRAFFIC POSING POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES.. RETURNED TO DEALER ON 05/17/14 AND THE CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED FOR A TOTAL COST OF $1,672.49. ON 06/08/14 AGAIN STALLED IN TRAFFIC. RETURNED TO DEALER ON SAME DAY. DEALER HAS NO IDEA OF WHAT IS CAUSING PROBLEM.. UNTIL THE STALLING PROBLEM IS RESOLVED I AM RELUCTANT TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF STALLING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *TR
Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 11, 200880,501 milesVA
FOR INVESTIGATION ON THE MERCEDES BENZ 2000 SLK. VEHICLE TO MB DEALERSHIP REPEATEDLY SINCE PURCHASED NEW, FOR A PROBLEM WITH HARD/FULL THROTTLE ACCELERATION. WHEN FULLY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, ON OCCASION THE CAR WILL BACKFIRE OR HESITATE, OR ALMOST STALL UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ACTIVATION OF THE TURBO-CHARGER (KOMPRESSOR). A CHECK OF THE SERVICE RECORDS FOR THE VIN NUMBER REVEALS THAT THE PROBLEM GOES BACK TO 10/25/04 WHEN THE O2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THAT SAME SENOR WAS REPLACED ON 05/24/07. THE PROBLEM WAS AGAIN REPORTED TO AND DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER HYANNIS MA ON 06/21/07 DURING A TRIP TO CAPE COD AFTER IT OCCURRED ON THE INTERSTATE DRIVING FROM VA TO CAPE COD. UPON RETURN TO VA, THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM ON 07/03/07. THE SAME PROBLEM WAS AGAIN REPORTED ON 01/30/07 WHERE IT WAS CORRECTED AS AN AIR INTAKE HOSE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS AGAIN REPORTED AND "CORRECTED" ON 11/09/07 .THE PROBLEM WAS AGAIN REPORTED AND CORRECTED BY REPLACING THE AIR MASS SENSOR YET AGAIN! ON 07/30/08. THIS TIME IT HAD OCCURRED IN THE INTERSTATE ON RAMP ACCELERATION LANE ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT DUE TO UNEXPECTED LACK OF ACCELERATION PERFORMANCE. THE PROBLEM AGAIN OCCURRED ON 09/08/08 DURING FULL ACCELERATION AGAIN. IT SHOULD BE NOTED HERE THAT I HOLD A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN SAFETY, FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I AM ALSO VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE NHSTA SAFETY DEFECT REPORTING/INVES
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights
Filed Nov 1, 2004CA
THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE BULB AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE CONSUMER WILL CONTACTED THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Nov 1, 2005. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.